Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest paid athlete of 2024, according to a list compiled by Sportico, earning a reported $260 million, but no female athletes featured in the top 100.
Soccer star Ronaldo’s impressive earnings came from $215 million in salary and winnings for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and the Portugal national team, and $45 million through off-the-field endorsements.
The 40-year-old has enjoyed somewhat of a career renewal since moving to Saudi Arabia, scoring 82 goals in his 90 games for Al-Nassr and becoming the first man to have 900 career goals in September last year.
Ronaldo is one of three soccer players to feature in the top 10 after big-money moves to Saudi Arabia, joined by Neymar and Karim Benzema, though the Brazilian star has since moved back to his boyhood club, Santos.
In 2024, Ronaldo brought in over $100 million more than the second-placed athlete, with NBA superstar Steph Curry earning an estimated $153.8 million – $53.8 million through salary/winnings and $100 million through endorsements.
